PM-SETU: Rs 60,000 crore scheme to upgrade industrial training institutes

New Delhi: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has announced that special purpose vehicles with credible industry partners will be set up under the Rs 60,000 crore PM-SETU scheme to manage clusters and ensure outcome-based training.

Launched by PM Narendra Modi, the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) aims to modernise 1,000 government ITIs nationwide by in-troducing demand-driven courses and revamping existing ones in collaboration with industries. The scheme will offer pathways for long-term diplomas, short-term courses, and executive programmes.

Following a hub-and-spoke model, 200 hub ITIs will be linked to 800 spoke ITIs, with hubs equipped with advanced infrastructure, innovation and incubation centres, production units, trainer facilities, and placement services. The scheme also plans to strengthen five National Skill Training Institutes in Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Ludhiana as Centres of Excellence with global part-nerships.

The first phase identifies 15 hub-and-spoke ITI clusters across regions including Sonipat, Visakhapat-nam, Bijnor, Meerut, Haridwar, Ujjain, Bengaluru, Bharatpur, Darbhanga, Patna, Hoshiarpur, Hyderabad, Sambalpur, Chennai, and Guwahati. Each cluster will serve as a centre of excellence with advanced infrastructure, modern trades, & industry-led training.

The Skill Development Minister Jayant Chaudhary said it is first major investment in ITIs at this scale. He said that 1,200 Vocational Skill Labs in Navodaya & Eklavya schools will train students across 12 sectors, including IT, automotive, agriculture, electronics, logistics, BFSI, tourism and hospitality.